Swimming and Diving: UGA Sweeps UNC

The Georgia swimming and diving teams opened the 2016-17 season on Friday by sweeping North Carolina at the Maurice J. Koury Natatorium.

The Bulldogs recorded a 162.5-132.5 victory, while the Lady Bulldogs registered a 179-119 decision in their 15th straight season-opening win. Georgia’s program is now 42-4 all time (23-0 women, 19-4 men) against the Tar Heels under Coach Jack Bauerle.

“I was extremely pleased with the way we competed and performed today,” Bauerle said. “They did a good job for the first meet. North Carolina always gives us a tough test and that’s why we like racing them first. This meet always gives our kids a sense of focus.”

Pace Clark joined Olympians Chase Kalisz, Jay Litherland and Javier Acevedo as double winners on Friday. Clark swept the 100 and 200 butterfly races in 48.37 and 1:47.03. Returning to Georgia after a redshirt season, Kalisz took the 200 freestyle in 1:36.60 and the 200 breaststroke in 1:56.08. Litherland had the meet’s fastest times in the 200 backstroke (1:46.33) and the 200 individual medley (1:49.73). Acevedo, in his Georgia debut, won the 100 freestyle in 45.11 and the 100 backstroke in 47.74.

Chris Powell reached the wall in 20.77 to take the 50 freestyle and Kevin Litherland won the 1,000 freestyle in 9:17.44. The 200 medley relay of Taylor Dale, Colin Monaghan, Clark and Acevedo stopped the clock first in 1:30.58.

For the Lady Bulldogs, Megan Kingsley picked up three victories – the 100 butterfly (53.07), the 200 butterfly (1:54.90) and the 200 individual medley (1:59.11).

Emily Cameron and Stephanie Peters each had two wins. Cameron swept the 100 and 200 breaststroke in 1:03.68 and 2:17.27, respectively. Peters won the 500 freestyle in 4:47.53 and the 1,000 freestyle in 9:46.55.

Olympian Chantal Van Landeghem returned from a redshirt campaign and won the 100 freestyle with a time of 49.96. Meaghan Raab claimed the 200 freestyle in 1:47.87 and Meryn McCann made her Georgia debut by taking the 200 backstroke in 1:57.87.

The 200 medley relay of Kylie Stewart, Cameron, Kingsley and Van Landeghem won with a time of 1:40.13.